India Kicks Off Quest for Sixth ICC U19 World Cup Title Against USA

Favorite India is set to showcase its wealth of talent as it begins its journey towards a record-extending sixth Under-19 World Cup title. The team is expected to have a relatively easy start against the USA when the ICC event kicks off on Thursday.

India is the most accomplished team in the competition’s history, having claimed the championship in five of the 16 editions since its inception in 1988 when Australia secured the inaugural victory.

Prominent cricket figures such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, and Steve Smith all initially showcased their exceptional talents in this tournament. Shubman Gill, India’s current Test and ODI captain, first rose to prominence during the 2018 edition, when India triumphed under Prithvi Shaw’s captaincy. Despite Shaw’s recent dip in form, the tournament has been a springboard for many of the game’s greats, including Brian Lara, Sanath Jayasuriya, and others.

Having missed the top spot in the 2024 edition to Australia, India, with victories in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2022, and 2018, aims to capture its sixth title. The team boasts a strong and balanced squad that recently secured 13 wins out of 16 matches, with notable series victories in England, Australia, and South Africa.

Leading India’s challenge are players like the prodigious Vaibhav Suryavanshi, captain Ayush Mhatre, vice-captain Vihaan Malhotra, and top-order batsman Aaron George, who excelled in the last U-19 Asia Cup. Despite concerns about Mhatre’s recent form, Abhigyan Kundu has been a standout performer.

At just 14, Suryavanshi is already highly talked about, making headlines with a rapid 35-ball century in the 2025 IPL season. While he shows promise for stardom, others in the Indian lineup are also viewed as future cricketing stars.

After recovering from injuries that kept them from a three-match ODI series against South Africa, Mhatre and Malhotra have rejoined the squad, enhancing the batting lineup. In the pace department, Deepesh Devendran’s unique action could be key, with RS Ambrish also contributing both with the ball and bat. Kishan Singh and Henil Patel are the other pacers in the team.

India’s warm-up loss to England by 20 runs in a rain-affected match is seen as just a blip. With big-hitter Utkarsh Srivastava leading the USA, the Indian team is not expecting major challenges from them.

Placed in Group B with New Zealand, USA, and Bangladesh, India will face Bangladesh on January 17 and New Zealand on January 24 at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Zimbabwe and Namibia are hosting the 16-team tournament, featuring newcomers like Tanzania in its first global event and Japan in its second U-19 World Cup appearance.

Squads:
India: Ayush Mhatre (c), R.S. Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, D. Deepesh, Mohamed Enaan, Aaron George, Abhigyan Kundu, Kishan Kumar Singh, Vihaan Malhotra, Udhav Mohan, Henil Patel, Khilan A. Patel, Harvansh Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Vedant Trivedi.

USA: Utkarsh Srivastava (c), Adnit Jhamb, Shiv Shani, Nitish Sudini, Advaith Krishna, Sahir Bhatia, Arjun Mahesh, Amrinder Gill, Sabrish Prasad, Adit Kappa, Sahil Garg, Amogh Reddy Arepally, Ritvik Appidi, Rayaan Taj, Rishabh Shimpi.

Published on January 14, 2026.